Windmill-power plant.



Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

nwnvron hf HEY/F07 WITNESSES ATTORNEYS To all whom it may concern ALBERT n. HEYROTI-I, or GREAT rams, MONTANA.

WINIDMILL-IOWER PLANT.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Application filed December 17, 1912. Serial No. 737,202.

Be it known that I, ALBERT H HEYRoTrr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Great Falls, in the county of (3215-.

cade and State of Montana, have invented a new and Improved Vindmill- Power Plant, of' which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates generally to windmill power plants, and is particularly directed to methods of control in the event that the wind varies its velocity or rises to such a velocity that the voltage generated becomes excessive.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a system of control whereby the generator and the storage battery may be brought to cooperative relation with the service mains;

It is also an object of the invention to rovide a means for changing the position of the rudder of the mill in the event that the wind attains such a velocity as to drive the generator at an excessive speed.

The system set forth forms a unitary method of control, especially adapted to windmill power plants characterized by few mechanical devices of simple construc tion, thereby tending to low first cost an minimum operating expenses.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure 1 is a side view of the Windmill structure; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the means for controlling the voltage dur ing variations in the wind velocity, while Fig. 3 is a sectional view, partly diagrammatic, showing the means for bringing the vane of the mill out of the wind during excessive velocity.

The windmill itself may be of any desired construction, and preferably comprises the standards 1 having, a platform 2 thereon adjacent the top, the generator 3 being mounted on a turn-table 4 carried by the top of the'structure, the wind wheel 5 being connected directly to one end of the generator shaft; also carried by the generator structure is a vane 6 of any suitable form.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, 7 is representative of the armature of the generator 3, while 8 is representative of the field winding, the leads 7-7 from the armature connecting with the arms mounted at 10, adapted to engage with the blades 11; these blades connect with the conductors 1212 and extend to the double-pole switch 13, the Service wires 14C being connected to the said switch. One end of the field winding 8 is connected directly to one side of the armature 7, as is common in such structures, the other side of the field be1ng connected to one of a plurality of studs 15 through a wire 8, these studs being bridged by resistances 16 of suitable values.

A motor 17 has centrifugal devices 1819 carried on its shaft, which devices comprehend collars 20-21 slidably mounted on the shaft, adjacent ends of the before-mentioned arms 9 engaging with the said collar 20 so that as the motor increases its speed the'centrifugal device 18 will bring the ends of the arms 9 into contact with the blades 11. otally mounted at 22is a switch arm, shown as a bell crank lever, one arm 22 engaging with the collar 21 forming part of the centrifugal device 19, the other arm 22 contacting with one of the studs 15, whereby the resistance of the field circuit will be varied. The serv- Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

9 pivota-lly Pivice wires 23 of this motor are tapped to the leads 7 7 coming from the generator. armature, whereby power is applied'to the motor. Finally, a storage battery 25 is conbattery operating in multiple with the said generator 3.

When the windmill operates the armature of the generator is turned, and the field circuitbein closed an E. M. F. is set up by the mac iine, the motor 17 running by reason of its connection to the generator, and bringing the arms 9 into contact with the blades 11, whereby voltage is brought to one side on the switch 13; if this switch is closed, voltage is also present between the service wires 14. The storage battery 25 being connected across the conductors from the generator will be charged thereby if the voltage of the battery permits it; Or will float on the line along with the generator. If the velocity of the wind rises and the speed of the generator increases, the motor 17 will also increase its speed, with the resuit that the centrifugal device 19 will move the switch arm 22* some one of the studs 15, depending on the speed of the motor,

whereby the resistance of the generator field will be increased and the E. M. F. induced will be lessened, thereby bringing such E. M. F. to substantially the same amount as that of the storage battery. If the speed of the generatorfalls sufiiciently the centrifugal device'l8 brings the arms 9 out of contact with the blades 11', thereby preventing the storage battery from forcing current through the generator due to the higher voltage of the battery.

When the generator is idle the motor is also idle, the parts being substantially in the position indicated in Fig. 2. This system of control effectively takes care of the voltage of the generator over a wide range of speed, and the speed of the motor 17 and the resistance unit 16 being properly determined, the generator and the storage battery will Work together; of course, the storage battery is at all times connected to the leads 12 12 and voltage is present between the service mains 14 at all times if the storage battery is charged and the switch 13 is closed.

It very often. happens that the velocity of the wind becomesexcessive, thereby driving the generator at such a speed that the 32 having a plunger 33 movable therein, a

wire or cord 34 extending from the plunger around a pulley 35 and passing downwardly through a suitable housing 36, being engaged with certain parts to be presently described. The funnel and vane are rotatably mounted in position in any suitable manner, the structure shown comprising a bearing 37 into which an offset 38 carried by the funnel is inserted, the said cord or wire 34 passing downwardly through the bearing; such structure is capablecf swinging freely in the wind, the idea being to bring the open end of the funnel into the wind so that the force due thereto may be exerted against the plunger Y Mounted within a sultable casing 39 is a plunger 40 having a post 41 extending upwardly therefrom, a helical spring 42 being contained within the housing and surrounding the said post, the upper end of the housing being closed by means of an ad justable cover 43 in threaded engagement with the interior of the housing, whereby the pressure exerted by the spring against the plunger may be varied. The said wire or cord 34 is secured to this plunger 40,

and in the event that the velocity of the Wind reaches a certain amount the movement of the plunger 33 will compress the spring 42 and bring the arm 44 carried by the post i connected rum 48 by means of the worm' '75 and adapted to be wound thereon is a flex- 1 ible element 51, such as a rope, the other end of the rope engaging the vane 6 of the mill previously mentioned, whereby force may be applied thereto in order to bring the mill out of the wind. Suitably mounted in position are fixed contacts 52 -52 and oppositely disposed thereto are other contacts 52-9-53, a lever 54 pivotally mounted in position at 55 having its arms 56-57 lying between the said contacts, the arm 56 being adapted to engage either 52 or 52", the arm 57 bein adapted tov engage either 53" or 53", the relation being such, however, that the contacts so engaged are those diagonally opposite. This lever is provided with an offset arm 58 extending. alongside the drum 48, the drum being provided with fingers 5960 extending therefrom, the normal position of the parts being as indicated in Fig. 3.

A relay 61 has the wires 62 -63 leading therefrom, the wire 62 being connected to one side of th motor 47, and also communieating with one side of the before-mentioned generator 3 and storage battery 25 through a wire 64; the otherwire 63 from the relay is connected to a fixed contact 65, said wire being connected to the other side of the motor 47, and being also connected to the-said arm 56 of the switch. The fixed contact 53 is connected to the other side of the generator and storage battery through a wire 66, the arm 44 on the post 41 being connected to the adjacent contact 53 through a wire 67. The fixed contacts 45-46 are connected to the fixed contacts 52"59f through the wires 6869; finally, a pivoted armature T0 is adapted to be moved by the field due to the electro-magnet or relay 61, this armature being connected to the arm 57 of the drum-controlled switch, one end of this armature being adapted to engage the contact 65 connected to the said wire 63.

The operation of this controlling circuit is as follows: The funnel 30 is kept in the wind by means of the vane 31, the wind blowing into the funnel acting on the plunger 33 and tending to compress the spring 42, depending on'the adjustment of the cover 43 of the housing 39 which contains this spring; if the wind becomes strong enough to raise the plunger 40 and the post 41, the arm 44 carried by the post will 45, the following circuit being thereby closed :from one side of the battery through the motor 47, through the arm 56 p -of the switch to the fixed contact 52 through the fixed contact 45, through the arm 44 on the post 41, thence to the other side of the battery and generator through the wires 67 and 66. The motor 47 will now turn the drum 48 in the direction indicated by the arrow, the cable or rope 51'being therebywound on the drum, the-vane 6 being turned parallel to the mill 5 and cansing the latter to be swung out of the wind inthe usual manner. The engagement of the arm 44 with thefixed contact 45 also completes another circuit as follows :from one side of the battery through the wire 64, through the relay 61, through the wire 63 to the arm 54 of the switch, thence through the fixed contact 52 through the wire 68, the contact 45 and the wire 67 to theother side of the battery, through the wire66. The relay 61 is energized through completion of this circuit and establishes a'holding circuit as follows :-to one side' of the battery through the wire 64, through therelay 61,

through the fixed contact 65, through the armature 70, through the arm 57 of the switch, through the fixed contact 53*, and thence to the other side of the battery through the wire 66. Further, a circuit is completed through the motor in the following manner :-from the battery through the wire '64, through the motor 47, through the wire 63 to the arm 56 of the switch, through the wire leading from this'arm to the contact 65, through the armature to the arm 57 of theswitch, and, finally, through the contact 53* to the other side'of the battery through the wire 66; due to this circuit the operation of the motor is independent of the operations of the switch formed by the arm 44 and the contacts 4546 adjacent thereto; that is, the motor will continue to operate as long as the armature 70 engages the fixed contact 65, and the engagement lasts between the arm 57 of the switch and the contact 53*.

During the flowing of current through the circuits as described the vane has been brought to a position out of the wind, and the pin 59 on the drum 48 has moved away from the end of the arm 58, the second pin 60 on the drum engaging the end of this arm and operating the switch, bringing the arms 5657 into engagement with the contacts 52 and 53 The opening of the circuit due to the movement of the arm 57 away from the contact 53 interrupts the motor circuit and also the circuit through the relay 61; the motor, therefore, stops and the relay releases the armature 70. However, when the vane has been brought out of the again-closed the armature will turn wind, as described,'the drum 48 operates a reversing switch in the field circuit of the motor 47 so that when the motor circuit is in the op osite direction.

Vhen the wind drops to a safe velocity the plunger 33 adjacent the bottom of the funnel 30 will come back to normal position, thereby..,;p'ermitting the arm 44 on the post 41 togcome back into engagement with the fixed contact 46, as shown in F ig.- 3;-a circuit will then be established from one side of the battery through the wire 64,

through the motor 47 because of the wire 62, through the wire 63 to the arm 54 of the switch, to the fixed contact 52*, to the fixed contact 46, through the wire 69 from the said contact, through the wire 67, to the other 'side of the battery through the wire 66; the motor will now operate and turn the drum 48 in an opposite direction to that shown by the arrow, thereby un winding the rudder cable-and allowing th windmill to swing in the wind. As previously set forth the engagement of the contact 46 with the arm 44 also closes a circuit through the relay 61 through the contact 52 because of the wire 63; the relay 61 establishes a holding circuit through the fixed contact 65; through the contact 53 because of the engagement of the arm 57 therewith; a circuit is also closed through the motor 47, thereby making the operation of the motor independent of the switch made up of the contacts 45-46 and the arm 44. The motor will now continue to unwind the drum 48 until the in 59 has again come into engagement with the arm 58, as shown in Fig. 3; the arms 56 and 57 of the switch lever forming part of the arm 58 will be operated, the contacts 52* and 53 coming into engagement with the said arms; the relay 61 will be deenergized and the initial contacts will again obtain. Thus it will be seen that the object of the relay 61 is to prevent the vane from remaining in any intermediate position if there are rapid wind changes, so that the engagement between the contacts 45or 46 and the arm 44 does not last long enough to permit the motor 47 to completely wind or unwind the drum. With the arrangementshown a momentary closing of the circuit through the contact 45 or 46 will cause the windmill to be completely swung into, or out of, the wind.

From the description given it will appear that a windmill power plant, with controlling devices therefor, is set forth, whereby close regulation of voltagc of the service mains may be obtained over wide changes in generator speed or wind velocity. system described contemplates the use of the storage battery shown. whereby fluctuations in voltage will be less 1narked, it being clear,

The

however, that the generator and the controlling systems may be used without, such bat terg, if so desired. r I ther structures may accomplish'the puroses set forth, the choice of such structures ein determined by the spirit and scope of the ollowing claims.

Having-thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a windmill power plant, the combination of a generator and a storage battery adapted to be operated in multiple, a motor actuated by the generator, a plurality of. centrifugal devices actuated by the motor, a rheostat forming part of the generator field circuit, one of the centrifugal devices actuating the arm of the said rheostat, and a switch between-the battery and the generator for disconnecting them when the voltage falls below a predetermined amount, the said switch being operatively axociated with the other centrifugal device.

2. In a windmill power plant, the combination with a generator having a shunt field circuit, a storage battery, a pair of contacts, a pair of movable switch arms, each of sa d arms beingarranged to engage one of said contacts, connections. between the generator iterrnirials. and each of said arms, a motor having 'its'termina'ls connected to the terminals of the generator, a centrifugal device carried by the motor on one side thereof for bringing said arms into engagement with their respective contacts at a predetermined speed of the motor, a variable resistance in the shunt field' circuit of the] generator, a pivoted arm for operating said-variable resistance, and a centrifugal device disposedon the opposite side of the motor from the 40,

ALBERT H. H EYROTH.

Witnesses:

LOUISE F. RUNK, J. H. CORCORAN. 

